Legend of the Spirit Ninja
by Dragnos
Summary: Most humans are unable to see the spirits that live among them in the world. But due to new events in the world Naruto and Hinata can. An eye for a life, and a truth behind the legendary biju no one expected.


**Ok, so it's not my usual type of Naruto fanfic but it's something I've been toying with for a while. **

**XxXxXxX**

The mist floated about the man in the inky black of nothingness his eyes unable to pierce the darkness around him. Hiashi could see and feel nothing in the void of his dreams the unspoken message perfectly clear as the man who had been in dreamless void. Regret and grief weighed on him as he woke, the dream his wife and he had been granted thirteen years ago would come to an end. Their eldest daughter was going to die as a price for her thirteen years of life.

Getting out of the bed that he shared with his wife, Hiashi silently moved out of their room and with heavy feet made his way to Hinata's room. How long he stood there Hiashi did not know, he left when dawn broke the sky to prepare for the funeral that was to come. What servants that were up knew enough to keep their mouths shut when they saw the faint look of grief in the elder Hyuuga's eyes.

**XxXxXxX**

"Damn it, not this place again," Naruto muttered as he looked about the hellish landscape of his nightmare. "Why do I always get things like this when I dream?" Looking around Naruto sighed knowing he'd get no answer until he actually found the miko that haunted his nightmarish dreamscape. It was always the same when he entered the dreamworld, an alien world reduced to a godforsaken wasteland and the grieving miko who lived there. Naruto knew enough from the visits with the miko that the world he saw was part of the past and the result of some great tragedy.

The shrine was the only place of life in Naruto's dream, and the only place that the miko was able to keep her sanity. As Naruto approached the small shrine he noticed that for the first time that the miko was in fervent prayer in front of a small grave marker.

"Who are you praying for Fuyumi," Naruto asked after the miko was done praying.

"For the safe passage of the girl who is going to die today. It is a tragic thing, these dream children granted to young families by the spirits," Fuyumi replied," they are eager to make a deal and in their haste fail to look at the price they pay for their child. In the end they fail to make the appropriate payment and the one they made the deal with comes back and takes the life of the child that was given to the family." A weight settled in Naruto's stomach as he looked to see whose name was on the grave marker. A chill settled into Naruto as he read the name upon the marker: Hyuuga Hinata.

"No," Naruto whispered," no, please tell me this is a mistake Fuyumi. Hinata can't die, not Hinata."

"I'm afraid it's true Naruto, even here in this fragment of the world between life and death I can tell these things. It is a tragedy that this girl is one you know," The miko replied softly turning to look at Naruto," do you intend to save her? Spare her of the death she does not know of?"

"I do, Hinata can't die, not now not when she's finally getting the recognition she deserves," Naruto growled looking at the woman before him," and I bet you know how I can do it to."

"I do, but know this child, for the one to spare the life of this girl you will most likely have to give him or her something of equal value to the life they are sparing."

"Then tell me what I need to do, I'd give anything to make sure Hinata lives," Naruto said firmly. A sad smile grew on the Miko's face as the world faded into the waking hours of life the soft whispers engraved into Naruto's mind as he woke. Time crawled as Naruto prepared for what was to come, as a still living person did not often go into the crossroads between life and death.

It took only a matter of moments for Naruto to place the seals he learned long ago up in his apartment, seals that would repel anyone still alive trying to get in. Looking around for any mistakes Naruto nodded once and went into the now empty study room covered in seals. Taking a seat in the center of the seal on the floor Naruto exhaled and triggered the seal and feeling himself slip between the folds of life and death Naruto knew his time was limited.

**XxXxXxX**

Kakashi looked up at the noonday sun and wondered with increasing fear were Naruto was. The blond had never missed a team meeting or mission before without reason, or even not show up. Kakashi had looked everywhere for Naruto, aside from the apartment where he now stood outside of. Kakashi had gone inside but the freezing atmosphere inside had caused the jonin to freeze in his tracks. He had blanked out after that and had woken up outside the apartment several minutes later. Kakashi looked around at the people in the street and took note of how they avoided Naruto's apartment as they looked up in fear at it, as if they themselves could feel the coldness withen the apartment.

Closing his eye Kakashi tried to relax and think about as to where Naruto could be. Looking up Kakashi caught the briefest glimpse of orange heading down the street. It was only the barest of flickers that kept Kakashi moving after what could be his blond student. Weaving through the crowd the grey haired jonin unconsciously uncovered his sharingan eye and saw more then he ever intended. The living suddenly vanished from view as the souls of people he knew suddenly flooded the street before him, and there in the middle was Naruto.

Fear and reason told the jonin to cover his eye but will alone kept the eye uncovered. Whispers from the dead drifted into his ears as Kakashi followed Naruto out of the village proper and into the surrounding forest. The farther the two went into the denser and darker it became. Taking a look at the sky Kakashi's eyes widened as he wad greet with a night sky and a full moon. A chill wind blew about him as he ran to catch up to Naruto who had just walked into a clearing ahead. Looking around Kakashi noticed there were two other people in the clearing besides him and Naruto. As he reached to touch Naruto Kakashi suddenly found himself back in Narutos apartment being held up by Gai, sharingan covered.

"Gai?" Kakashi asked as he noticed his friends gaze towards the closed door of Naruto's study, the chill back in his body.

"Something happened there Kakashi," Gai said pulling the man up but never keeping his gaze off the door," I can't go in there due to some odd seal on the door. It feels as though…the realm of death has been pierced."

"I think it has," Kakashi answered and before Gai could speak he continued," I was just there, I saw the dead walking the streets Gai, men and women who had died over the years. I could feel them, but I could not here them." Gai nodded and help his friend out the door to take him to the Hokage, in hope an answer could be found.

**XxXxXxX**

Naruto looked about the clearing and made his way towards the man and girl in the middle. Hinata sat on the ground crying as the man next to her stood giving prayer. Naruto's footsteps caught the attention of the two before him. Hinata gave a confused hiccup when she saw Naruto standing there looking between her the man next to her.

"Evening," Naruto greeted," Nice day isn't it?"

"You shouldn't be here," the man replied," but yet you are. You must be a fellow merchant then because only our kind can walk between the folds of life and death. I am Daisuke, what can I do for you?"

"I am Uzimaki Naruto, it is a pleasure to meet you Daisuki," Naruto said, "and I am interested in buying the life for the young girl you presently have in you company." Daisuke raised an eyebrow and looked at Hinata and then looked at Naruto.

"It will not be cheap," Daisuke said," a life must be bought with something of equal value or of equal rarity. Souls like young Hinata here are like rare diamonds." Naruto closed his eyes and placed a hand over his right eye.

"I am a jinkuriki, I have little I can pay in the way of a soul, but I suppose you can tell what you would find of interest," Naruto replied.

"Oh a demon host are we?" Daisuke murmured, as he walked over to Naruto and examined him. "Your right eye would be payment enough for five souls considering the demon you contain. Yes, I think it'll do just nicely." Without so much of a warning Daisuke plucked Naruto's eye out.

"She's yours then," Daisuke said," I look forward to doing business with you in the future." Hinata's scream could be heard as the world faded into a swirl of color for Naruto. With a scream Naruto woke in the seal covered room. Slowly getting up Naruto's hand went to his right eye; he could feel it but yet he knew it wasn't there. Seeing the seals fade as their job as finished Naruto went and cleaned himself up. There was no telling how long he had been in the world of spirits for.

**XxXxXxX**

Hiashi could only stare in a numb joy as the medic stated that Hinata would live without any form of damage, both physically and mentally. He didn't know how but his daughter was alive. A sudden chill went down the mans spine as Daisuke seemed to appear before him. It was several minutes before the spirit merchant spoke.

"The debt has been paid Haishi," Daisuke said holding what appeared to be a small glowing jewel. "But how will you pay the debt you now owe to the one who gave you your daughters life I wonder? They are amazing things, these demons host's. Most are self serving, hateful, and vile creatures, but the one in your village, he's quite exceptional to give up something of such great value for one such as your daughter."

"Uzimaki," Hiashi breathed as the spirit's presence ceased to be. He knew of the boy, and of his heritage. Closing his eyes Hiashi wondered if the spirit of the first woman he loved was telling him something. Hiashi numbly walked to his study and gave strict orders that he was not to be bothered unless it was a matter of grave importance. Opening a secret vault the elder Hyuuga pulled out a large dusty scroll and laid it before him.

"Kushina I suppose it's time then," Hiashi spoke aloud to himself," your boy has proved that he ready to follow in his families legacy. I only pray that he has the strength you had when it comes time to know the truth of the bijuu and their tragic history. Which is why, if I can, I will give him my daughter to help give him that strength."

A promish made Hiashi took the scroll and headed off towards the Hokage's tower, change was happening Hiashi knew, and it would be the new generation of shinobi to change it.

**XxXxXxX**

**Ok, thanks for reading, I had to get that out. Yeah this is a mixed result of watching xXxholic and Yu Yu Hakysho. So I have a general idea of where this going to go. Hope you enjoy the ride.**


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